Coupling connection devices serve for the coupling connection of two conductor portions to a coupling connector, wherein a first coupling element forms the end of the first conductor portion and a second coupling element forms the end of the second conductor portion. The conductor portions may be electrical and hydraulic conductors. Frequently, for example in automobile construction, electrical conductors and hydraulic conductors are also combined in a conductor harness. This includes the washer-fluid lines that are integrated in cable harnesses.
In particular in a cold environment and in the event of wind bombardment, for example in the vehicle or aircraft, the coupling connector is susceptible to damage, for example by freezing of the fluid in a hydraulic conductor. In order to prevent this, coupling connectors are packaged with wind guards. In addition, line coupling connectors generally comprise hard materials and, when vibrations occur, may generate rattling and knocking noises by colliding with other line coupling connectors or peripheral components. Even this can be prevented with wind guards.
In the prior art, in particular in vehicle construction, wind guard tubes are used as wind guards. These flexible wind guard tubes are pushed over the line coupling connectors, for which purpose they usually first have to be pushed onto one of the conductor portions to be connected while the line coupling connectors are open. A disadvantage of this is that they can only poorly position electrical cables, including the line coupling connectors, and also hydraulic line coupling connectors. There is the risk of noises, for example rattling noises, occurring as a result. Furthermore, wind guard tubes partly lie against the line coupling connector, as a result of which cold bridges are formed. Fluids in hydraulic connectors can thereby freeze, or at least become very viscous.
A further disadvantage is that of uncontrolled installation. The wind guard tube is first brought approximately into position, and then usually a cable tie is tightened around the ends. The tightening torque is scarcely predeterminable, and therefore either air gaps are left or conductors are pinched. Depending on how bunches of conductors happen to turn out, the connection may loosen again later and the wind guard tube slip. Furthermore, during installation and removal, the ends of the tubes have to be turned back, which requires manual dexterity and time. In the case of maintenance, it is disadvantageous that the wind guard tube has to be pushed back in order to get to the individual line coupling connectors.
Alternative protection of at least one electrical connector is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,307,219 B1, according to which two half-shells are used, forming a casing with an interior cavity when they are placed together. The openings of the half-shells are respectively spanned by an elastomer membrane. When the electrical connector is placed between the half-shells and the latter are closed, the two membranes are deformed around the electrical connector. It is disadvantageous that to realize this it is necessary for there to be a relatively large box around the electrical connector. If a plurality of line coupling connectors are placed between the membranes, the latter can in turn collide with one another and cannot be properly positioned in relation to one another. Furthermore, the membranes represent heat bridges, which lead from the housing casing directly to the electrical connector. The casing according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,307,219 B1 therefore tends to be unsuitable for multiple line coupling connectors or hydraulic connectors.
Furthermore, a casing consisting of two half-shells is disclosed by GB 1 413 650 A. The two half-shells exactly follow the geometry of the electrical conductors and connectors to be received. The half-shells are placed around them and then connected to each other by screws at a flanged edge. It is disadvantageous that there is a great heat bridge, and therefore this design is not suitable for hydraulic line coupling connectors at low temperatures.
A common feature of all of the known solutions is that, in the case of maintenance, the wind guard first of all has to be removed in order then to decouple the line coupling connector. This is frequently difficult because of the tight construction space in vehicles. Handling using standard tools, such as screwdrivers and pliers, is possible only to a restricted extent and can also lead to damage.